The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of miniature rose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between an unnamed seedling and xe2x80x98POULhappyxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,483, dated Mar. 26, 1996). The two parents were crossed and the resulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment. The new variety is named xe2x80x98POULrolytxe2x80x99. The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, an unnamed seedling, by the following combination of characteristics:
1. The unnamed seed parent is a miniature rose with dark red flowers, while POULrolyt has brighter, red flowers.
The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, xe2x80x98POULhappyxe2x80x99, created by the same inventors, by the following combination of characteristics:
1. xe2x80x98POULhappyxe2x80x99 has smaller flowers than xe2x80x98POULrolytxe2x80x99.
2. xe2x80x98POULhappyxe2x80x99 has more numerous flowers than xe2x80x98POULrolytxe2x80x99.
The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety for commercial culture was to create a new and distinct variety with unique qualities, such as:
1. Uniform and abundant flowers;
2. Vigorous and compact growth;
3. Year-round flowering under glasshouse conditions;
4. Suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots;
5. Durable flowers and foliage which make a variety suitable for distribution in the floral industry.
The combination of qualities of this variety represents significant improvement over previously available commercial cultivars of this type and distinguishes xe2x80x98POULrolytxe2x80x99 from all other varieties of which we are aware. As part of their rose development program, L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens N. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark.
xe2x80x98POULrolytxe2x80x99 was selected by the inventors as a single plant from the progeny of the hybridization in Fredensborg, Denmark.
Asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98POULrolytxe2x80x99 by cuttings and traditional budding onto Rosa multiflora understock was first done by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in Fredensborg, Denmark. This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of xe2x80x98POULrolytxe2x80x99 are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.